Pulmonary Embolism

Pulmonary embolism (PE), the most severe form of presentation of venous thromboembolic disease (VTE), currently represents a foremost healthcare issue due to its high impact in terms of morbidity, mortality, costs, and resource consumption. Early mortality associated with PE is primarily due to hemodynamic instability, exacerbation of pre-existing conditions, or major complications of antithrombotic therapies. Beyond the risk of death, there are relevant complications related to PE, such as bleedings, VTE recurrences, and persistence of residual respiratory symptoms; the latter complication related to PE is mainly characterized by two entities, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and chronic thromboembolic disease. Significant scientific advances made in recent years have allowed for the improvement of both diagnostic and therapeutic management of the disease, as outlined in this document through a series of relevant issues about PE that are answered with the most up-to-date scientific evidence.